Synopsis

When Peter Davidson’s grandson, Joel, got engaged,  Davidson decided to jot down a few words of marital advice for him, based on his vast experience as a husband. Then Davidson thought, why share this wisdom with only one person when I can share it with the whole world, so he started a blog listing new marital advice every week. As the popularity of the blog grew, people suggested that the material should be turned into a book.  The result is Marital Advice to my Grandson, Joel.

The original goal was to provide conversational, upbeat advice to Davidson’s grandson about his role in his upcoming marriage and how to be a proper husband. Now, as a book, the goal remains the same but the audience includes all men, whether they are engaged, married, or single. Women will enjoy the insight and humor of the book and will appreciate the book’s positive message.

Advice to Joel, and to any man, includes:  make sure that you buy a roll of electrical tape before you volunteer to do the vacuuming – and why, how to deal with your wife’s steely-eyed, clinched-jaw scowl, known as “The Look,” how to answer your wife’s questions such as, “Does this dress make my ass look big?,” the warning that your mouth will get you into a whole lot more trouble than your Willy ever will, and how to create the world’s most powerful anniversary card for your wife.

Virtually all of the material in the book is presented in the form of upbeat stories, scenarious., and examples.  This is not the type of advice that you’ll find in a textbook on marriage or in a book on marital relations written by some psychiatrist.  This is the real stuff for real people.

Excerpt

The goal of Marital Advice to my Grandson, Joel is to be long enough to provide a good deal of valuable information, but short enough so guys might actually read it.

An early section of the book, Marital Wisdom, Passed Down for Generations, includes wisdom that the author received when he got married and which he is now passing down to his grandson.  The comments in parentheses are Davidson’s to give his grandson a little help in deciphering the wisdom.

• “Be careful what you confess to in a weak moment – women have a memory like an elephant.” (Every married man on earth has found this out first hand.)

• “Measure twice and saw once.” (The purveyor of this fabulous wisdom was a carpenter, but in married terms, I think it probably means you should think twice before you open your mouth,)

• Your wife is allowed to say low-down, mean, nasty things about her mother, but you are not.” (It’s a mother-daughter thing that you’ll never understand.)

• “If you whisper another woman’s name in your wife’s ear, or shout it, particularly during a moment of passion, there is no way to lie your way out of it, but give it a try anyway.” (This advice came from a guy who spent three years sleeping in the basement.)

• “Break only one law at a time.” (This advice could apply to may things, but in marriage, I think it means you should not forget your wife’s birthday and your anniversary in the same year.)

The book includes over twenty short quotations that summarize important points from the book or present philosophical thoughts for the reader to ponder.  Each occupies a full page.  Several of those quotations are:

As the Marital Bus rumbles down the highway of life, there cannot be two people wrestling for the steering wheel, or surely the bus will crash.

Know when it is your turn to drive, and when it is time to quietly sit in the back seat.

Every day of your married life will be an adventure, particularly on those days that the two of you never even leave the house.

When your wife says, “Dear will you help me . . . .”

She doesn’t mean next month, next week, tomorrow, or when the game you’re watching is over.

She means NOW.

So hop to it and get it out of the way and then you can peacefully return to what you were doing.

“Buy me flowers, candy, jewelry, clothing, perfume, a card, or nothing at all – but do not ever buy me an implement of work as a gift”  (This one is my favorite!  Unless I ask for the work implement!)

When your wife gives you that steely-eyed, clenched-jaw scowl, known as “The Look,” it means that you have obviously done something wrong, but what? You will find out as soon as she gets you alone.

Review

This book is chock full of advice (most good!) served with a side of humor.  I really enjoyed how one man took what he learned during his marriage, and from others, and compiled it into a blog and then a book.  Joel & Abby (pictured above) definitely received quite the gift with these words of wisdom.  I’m not sure which parts I liked the most, but deep down the advice is to love and honor your spouse and to encourage each other to continue to grow and become a better spouse, father, and more.

You’ll find that the author calls his wife Grandma – which makes perfect sense because he wrote this book for his grandson and that is how he knows her.  I think it is endearing and I especially enjoyed the stories of how he surprised her and such.  It is a reflection of their relationship that he is hoping Joel acknowledges and has in his relationship with Abby.

Overall this is a fun read with some sage advice.  We give this 4 paws up.

About the Author

Peter Davidson is the author or co-author of twenty-nine books published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, Perigee/Putnam Publishers, Northwestern Publishing Company, Sweet Memories Publishing, Haworth Press, and others.  His works include fiction, non-fiction, college textbooks, children’s picture books, and training materials for business and industry.  Davidson is also a songwriter and one of his songs was used in a television series in The Netherlands.

For more than two decades, Peter Davidson was one of America’s most active writer’s seminar presenters, having presented over 625 one-day seminars in a fifteen-state area from Minnesota to Tennessee and Colorado to Illinois.

Davidson has been a professional recording studio owner, college professor, and retail store owner.  He trained over 700 real estate agents, something that he believes he will have to answer for on  Judgment Day.

Davidson is the recipient of the prestigious Leavey Award granted by Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Davidson and his wife live in the Lake Okoboji resort area of Iowa in summer and in Arizona in the winter.

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